Tongs for handling merchandise



(No Model.)

A. J. WOOD. TONGS FOR HANDLING MERCHANDISE.

Patented Jilly 9, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. WOOD, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

TONGS FOR HANDLING MERCHANDISE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 406,554, dated July 9, 1889.

Application filed January 22, 1889. Serial No. 297,112. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. WVOOD, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs for Handling Merchandise, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved device for handling merchandise; and it is particularly adapted for removing boxes, cans, small packages, and the like from high shelving and placing them upon the counter, in stores,warehouses, &c.

It consists in certain details of construetion and combinations of ,parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, A indicates my improved handling device, consisting of the handle B, which may be of any desired length, and upon the upper end of the handle B is placed the curved gripping-arm h, said arm being provided at its lower end with a vertical socket s, by means of which said arm is rigidly secured to the handle 13. At the juncture of the curved arm and vertical socket is an aperture through which is passed a bolt or rivet a, said .bolt acting as a pivot for the movable gripping-arm it, said arm being attached to the rigid arm h by said bolt on, as shown. The movable arm 71/ is extended beyond the pivot, and forms an arm or extension c',which at its free end is provided with an eye, as shown. Upon the upper and free ends of the arms h h are secured the heads or plates 0 C, respectively, which plates may be formed integral with or separate from the arms, and, if desired, may be..swiveled or pivoted thereto, so as to always insure perfect contact with the articles to be handled. The inner faces of the plates 0 C are usually covered with some soft and elastic material g, in order to prevent slipping; and to provide a means for gripping small packages which have handles or bales attached I form a small hook 0 upon the outer side of the plate 0. These arms h and h, besides being curved upwardly, are also curved or deflected at their outer or upper ends in a line diverging upward from a vertical line passing through their pivotal points or lower ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, whereby the boxes or packages which rest a short distance back of the front edge of the shelf can be readily gripped and landed on the counter. The movable arm h is attached to the upper end of the rod D by the hook d, and the lower end of said rod is attached to an e1bow-1ever E, as at f, said elbow-lever being pivotally secured by bolt 6 within a rec'ess formed in the lower part of the handle B. By this arrangement itwill be seen that the elbow-lever can easily be depressed by the thumb, forefinger, or hand and bring the plates 0 0 close enough to grip-the desired article, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The operation of my improved handling device-is clear from the foregoing, and needs no further description here.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The tongs consisting of the handle having at its outer end a fixed arm and a pivoted arm provided with an extension connected by a rod to a lever pivoted upon the'handle, said arms having clamping-plates, one of which has ahook, and which arms are curved upwardly and deflected or curved at their outer or upper ends in a line diverging upward from a vertical line passing through their pivotal points, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. WOOD.

Witn e'sses:

F. G. FISCHER, A. A. HIGDON. 

